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Thomas Spencer Monson (1927-2018)
}} Biography Thomas Spencer Monson is an American religious leader, author, and the 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As president, Monson is considered by adherents of the religion to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator." A printer by trade, Monson has spent most of his life engaged in various church leadership positions and public service. Monson was ordained an LDS apostle at age 36, served in the First Presidency under three church presidents and was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from March 12, 1995, until he became President of the Church on February 3, 2008. He succeeded Gordon Bitner Hinckley (1910-2008) as church president. During his time as one of the longest-serving apostles in Mormon history, church membership expanded from 2.1 million members to 15.9 million. The number of temples grew from 12 to 159. This is incredible growth. He served 54 years, 5th longest in modern church history. Monson has received four honorary doctorate degrees, as well as the Boy Scouts of America's Silver Buffalo and the World Organization of the Scout Movement's Bronze Wolf—both awards are the highest awards in each organization. Monson is a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, the organization's governing body. Monson is chairman of the Boards of Trustees/Education of the Church Educational System, and Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911-2004) appointed him to the U.S. President's Task Force for Private Sector Initiatives. Monson married Frances Beverly Monson (née Johnson) in the Salt Lake Temple in 1948 and they are parents to three children. Frances Monson died on May 17, 2013. LDS Church Service * Ordained Bishop 1949 (age 22) - Sixth-Seventh Ward in the Temple View Stake, * Counselor in Stake Presidency - Salt Lake Temple View Stake - 1957 * President of Canadian Mission 1959-1962 * Ordained Apostle and sustained to the Twelve 1963 * Second Counselor to Ezra Taft Benson 1985 * Second Counselor to Howard W. Hunter 1994 * President of the Twelve and First Counselor to Gordon B. Hinckley 1995 * Sixteenth President of the Church 2008 Marriage and Family Salt Lake Temple Wedding This couple was married for time and eternity on 07-Oct-1948 in the Salt Lake Temple located in Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. A temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) it is the largest LDS temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple completed by the church, requiring 40 years to complete. In the fall of 1944, he enrolled at the University of Utah. Around this time he met his future wife, Frances, whose family came from a higher social class on the east side of the city. Her father, Franz Johnson, felt an immediate connection because Monson's great uncle had baptized him into the LDS Church in Sweden. At age 21, on October 7, 1948, he married Frances Beverly Johnson (1927-2013) in the Salt Lake Temple. The couple eventually had three children: # Thomas Lee Monson (1950) # Ann Frances Monson (1954) - Ann Monson Dibb was the second counselor to Elaine S. Dalton in the general presidency of the Young Women organization of LDS Church from 2008 to 2013. # Clark Spencer Monson (1956) References * ThomasSMonson.org - LDS Church Official Website * * Footsteps of the Master - Biography of Thomas S Monson by Elder Holland - June 2008 LDS Liahona * Heidi S. Swinton, To the Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2010) * Thomas S Monson - Grandpa Bill's GA Pages * Thomas Monson - disambiguation * Monson in Utah - * Thomas S Monson - LDS Church History * Deseret News External Links * LDS.org - General Conference Talks by Thomas S Monson * Thomas S Monson - MormonWiki * Life and Teachings of Thomas S Monson- ScottWoodward.org * - Wikipedia Category:American general authorities (LDS Church) Category:American Latter Day Saint writers Category:American Mormon missionaries in Canada Category:American military personnel of World War II Category:Apostles (LDS Church) Category:Marriott School of Management alumni Category:Recipients of the Bronze Wolf Award Category:Living people Category:Counselors in the First Presidency (LDS Church) Category:Mission presidents (LDS Church) Category:People associated with the Boy Scouts of America Category:Writers from Salt Lake City Category:Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church) Category:University of Utah alumni Category:20th-century Mormon missionaries Category:Deseret News people Category:Presidents of the Church (LDS Church) Category:West High School (Utah) alumni Category:National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America members Category:People from Salt Lake City